In the end of everything
by Sjeherazade
Summary: In the end of 1944 Hungary gets the news that Austria has been sent to a concentration camp. She, Italy and Prussia imidiatelly starts an investigation to find which camp he's been taken to and when, and all this time they are haunted by one terrible thougt. What if it is to late to help him?
1. Budapest 1944-12-24

**A/N I don't own Hetalia, I just like to make up my own stories about the characters. Also I don't have English as my native language so you don't need to be surprized if the language is not perfect (but if someone find something that is very wrong please tell me so I can become better) ^_^**

**Story includes following characters: Austria, Hungary, Italy, Germany, Prussia, Russia & Belarus**

**Vienna**

**1944-06-02**

It was late afternoon, and it had been a hard day for Austria.

It was fortunate that he was used to rules and discipline otherwise this day would have felt even longer and harder. Now he had finally come home and the first thing he did was, as usual, to sit down with the piano to clear the mind.

It was nice not to think about anyething at all for a while, just let the music wash away everything and exhale.

But then the doorbell rang. Austria sighed. Visitors was not exactly what he longed for the moment. But he got on his feet and walked towards the door to open the door and see who it was.

He had barely taken two steps away from the piano when the door suddenly was kicked open, and only seconds later, he heard about twenty boots stomping around in his house. It did not seem as if the visitors had thoughts of taking off their shoes, which Austria always demanded that his visitors would do before they came in.

Everything was over very quickly. The intruders had hardly gotten inside the door before they even stormed into the room where Austria stood. He never had a chance to hide. They were German soldiers, but Austria couldn't see Germany himself anywhere. He just wasn't with them.

**Budapest**

**1944-12-24**

The fire was lit and next to the armchair was a great big beautiful Christmas tree full of red apples and burning candles. The only sound that could be heard was the gentle crackling of the fire.

When Hungary had lit all the candles in the Christmas tree, she sat down in her armchair to relax. In her lap, she had that big bowl of goulash that she had longed for the past few years. She had saved her ration cards for several months to get everything she needed to make it.

Now Hungary lifted the bowl to her nose and just breathed in the scent of the sweet, delicious, delicious meat soup which spices aroma found the back of her nose, and filled her with a pleasure that she had not felt in many years.

Now as this was done Hungary placed the bowl in her lap again, then she picked out her favorite spoon, dipped it deep into the soup and brought it to her mouth. The taste filled her whole mouth, the sweet spices that she lacked as long attracted the taste buds and made her breathe. Hungary had not seen herself as stressed out but apparently she needed some time for herself sometimes - after all who didn't? Who did not need to relax? Hungary took the spoon, she deserved this, she told herself. One couldn't just do war and politics all the time.

This was the first time in a long while that Hungary came to think of Austria. The spoon she ate her goulash with had been one of his the wedding gifts to her. Maybe she should call him and ask him about things. After all it was Christmas, and they were still very close friends.

The phone was standing next to her on the table. She could reach it with her hand without effort, in other words she didn't need to put down the bowl when she took up the phone. She dialed the number and waited, but there was no answer.

This did not bother Hungary, however, this was, after all, long before the cell phone was invented. Austria was probably just out at the moment...


	2. Vienna 1944-12-25

**Chapter 2**

**Vienna**

**1944-12-25**

Although there were wars around the world, it was also Christmas and Hungary decided to go and visit her ex-husband, after all they were still very good friends and they had, unfortunately, not seen each other in a while because of the war.

She picked up a basket which she filled with food. She had after all been following the politics news carefully the last few years, so she knew that Mr. Austria was one of the world's most unfortunate countries right now . Apparently it was both poor and dangerous over there right now, but Hungary still decided that it was worth the risk. She was, after all, an ally of Germany, so she would not exactly be the prime suspect if she approached the border. In addition, she wanted to know how Austria was feeling after all these traumas.

Just as Hungary suspected it was no problem for her to enter the Austria's territory, nor to make her way to his house. One thing that struck Hungary from the beginning was how different everything was from when she lived here. So much poverty, she had not seen it for several hundred years, and she didn't like it. Not that she didn't like to go to war but right now she felt that it had gone too far.

Hungary went up the stairs to Austria's house, it was dark in there, that was the first thing she noticed, the second thing was that no one responded when she knocked on the door.

She remembered that Austria liked to sit out in the back garden at this time of the day and therefore she simply walked around the house to see if he was there. He was not, however, she could see that someone had broken a window.

Surprised that a window has been broken without the pedantic Mr. Austria had fixed it, Hungary went over to broken window and looked through it. Then she was even more surprised, there were cobwebs everywhere, and even otherwise everything was a mess.

Hungary concluded that Austria could not be at home if the house looked like this. Probably Germany forced him to help him with the war, he had after all occupied Austria so it was clear that he would be messing around with him when he had the chance, he had done that so many times throughout history.

It was first when Hungary was on her way back home that a really horrible thought flew through her head. Mr. Austrias Human name: Roderich Edelstein. Edelstein was a Jewish surname.

Hungary was so shocked by the realization that she dropped her basket on the ground and her knees buckled under her. She was sitting there on the ground for almost a minute while the possible truth crept further and further into her consciousness. If all the rumors about Germany were true this could have ended really bad.


	3. Berlin 1944-12-26

**Berlin**

**1944-12-26**

A few hours later, Miss Hungary stood outside Germany's door and knocked on it with all strength she could force out.

"Open the door, Germany, I have some questions for you and they absolutely can not wait. Let me in!"

But it was Italy who finally opened the door, and Hungary was actually surprised at how masculine he looked like now, compared to when he wore her green dress. If it had not been for the situation, she had certainly thought it was comical.

"Germany is not feeling so good." Italy tried to explain, and then he tried to ask Hungary to come back a little later.

That was an experiment he had to give up almost before he thought of the idea. Hungary didn't want to listen to that kind of nonsense and she explained to Italy that Austria perhaps felt even worse and that Germany was probably the only one who knew what they could do about it.

Italy was shocked by the news of Mr. Austria, and Hungary could then see Germany at once. But Italy still seemed to hesitate when he opened the door more and more to finally open it fully to let Hungary in.

Hungary walked in to Germany's bedroom, followed by Italy, and Italy hadn't exaggerated, Germany looked very sick, but it couldn't be helped, she went in to him and sat down next to his bed.

"Mr. Germany?"

Hungary saw Germany's eyes opened, then she saw a glimpse when he recognized her.

"Hey Hungary!" He greeted, and the voice told Hungary that Germany had been feeling much better. "Maybe a strange question from me right now, but. How are you?"

Hungary couldn't help but smile a little bit about the issue. But while she did not forget why she came here.

"Germany, it's true ... those rumors about ..." Hungary just couldn't say the word "gas chambers", it got stuck in her throat, the only thing that came out was a sob. Germany lifted a trembling hand and took Hungarys one hand in his.

"I'm afraid you can take all the horrible rumors you heard about me lately, multiply all the terrible things with a thousand and then you're not even close!" He explained. "That's why I'm this sick you see" he continued before Hungary had time to recover from the shock. "My current boss is completely insane Hungary, he will kill me" Germany looked into Hungary's eyes she was shocked by something. "Well, now you know anyway," he sighed "if the war does not end soon I will not survive. I hope you will have better luck"

Hungary clenched her teeth, she needed to tell Germany what she knew. "Germany ..." a tear ran down from Hungary's eye, down her cheek, and did not stop until it reached her chin and dropped down into her lap. "Germany, I went to visit Austria earlier today, he wasn't there and his house was full of cobwebs ..."

Germany looked at her without saying a word, it was time to listen now, not talking, just show Hungary that he understood. And Hungary ... continued

"Do you think he might have ..." At this point Hungary had to wait and rest, and Germany took her hand again, to comfort. Hungary gratefully took the hand and squeezed it. "Austria has a Jewish surname, after all," she sobbed.

Germany gasped, he had completely forgotten about that, now he understood clearly what Hungary was concerned about, and the worst thing was that her concern was probably justified.

"Do you think there is a possibility that he ... might ... have ended up..?" Hungary couldn't say that word either. Then she looked seriously into Germany's eyes, he looked back, equally serious. And he could not lie about his fears.

"Yes, I think there might be a possibility ..." he sighed. "I think ..." Germany was trying to find the right words, "I think there is a risk that ... he may have been ... you know ..." Now Germany also had difficulty getting out the word he so well knew how it sounded ... "deported".

When Germany finally managed to say that word that Hungary was so afraid that he would say, and that she had been the very last thing she had hoped to hear, she hid her face in her hands with a scream, then she started overbreathing. Germany tried to get her to stop but it was impossible, partly because he was too weak to get up and partly because Hungary was now so incredibly heartbroken that there were absolutely impossible to get a word through to her. It was just lucky that ltaly came in at just that time, otherwise Hungary would probably have fainted.


	4. Berlin 1944-12-26 part 2

When Hungary had recovered, Italy put up a table that he placed in front of Germany's bed, and a chair for himself. Germany was able to sit up in bed, even though he was very sick, the other two could see the fever shine in his face, but he insisted on doing it.

Italy poured three cups of tea while Germany laboriously got up from the bed. Hungary just sat and stared straight ahead without saying a word until Italy had finished. Then she took a sip of her tea, which she actually thought was really good, and it helped her to calm down too actually. She looked towards Germany.

"Do you think there's any hope of saving Austria if he has been deported?" Hungary asked, surprised that she had even gathered enough strenght to ask the question. Her first thoughts after the matter has been addressed was that it would of course be too late already when she came to his house and found the spider web but now she really hoped that Germany would just change the subject. He did not, but the answer was not as hopeless as Hungary had thought, so she began to listen eagerly.

"It depends on where he had been sent" he explained, "Some of those camps are for the ... pardon way I have to put this... but for those who can work... until they drop." Germany sighed heavily before he continued. "Then there is the other type of camp where they get off the train and straight into the gas chamber" Germany looked at Hungary before he finished "... so yes, there is hope, but not much hope."

"Isn't there anything you can do about it!" Hungary shouted then and she stared wildly at Germany. Germany only sighed.

"If there was anything I could do I would have done it long ago. You know as well as I do that it is the people's faith in you that makes you strong as a country, and strong enough to do anything at all." Hungary now saw that Germany was very weak, he might even be about to disappear. "You have no idea what the Nazis do with people's morals and faith, and it will kill me, I know it, and now I just hope that I have not taken Austria with me"

Germany finished and looked out the window. Hungary couldn't think of anything else to say. Not Italy either.

"Italy, can you fetch a map?" Germany suddenly asked. Italy went over to a desk that stood next to a window and got the map, which he then rolled out in front of Germany and Hungary. Germany looked at Hungary.

"You are a skilled politician Hungary, why don't you take a look at these maps and see if you can find some of that hope that you're looking for? Forgive me but I need to rest now. But let me know if you find something, you can believe it if you want but I need something to hope for as well"

Italy and Hungary helped Germany back to bed and Italy spread a blanket over him, then he followed Hungary to the desktop to, if possible, help her with the map.


	5. Bergen-Belsen 1945-03-17

**_Budapest_**

**_1873-07-06_**

_It was one of the most beautiful summer mornings Austria had ever woken up to. The sun was shining through the window and the heat felt lovely when it reached his face. The window had been open all night, it had been so hot lately that it had been necessary._

_Suddenly Austria felt something move next to him. It was Hungary who breathed and stretched before she opened her eyes and squinted against the sun._

_"Austria, can't sleep a little longer today?" She asked and snuggled a little closer to him and finally placed her head on his arm and her own arm around him._

_Austria just nodded and turned himself to place his arm around Hungary ..._

**Bergen-Belsen**

**1945-03-17**

... Austria fell to the floor from the top bunk of a bunk bed with three floors. He hit the floor pretty badly and awakened all of his "roommates". Just a second later they heard the trumpet out there and then everyone got a great hurry to get ready. Anyone who was not out there at second trumpet was sent straight to the gas chambers farther south, everyone knew that. But right now Austria was thinking that perhaps that was better than staying here and continue the suffering.

For months it had been with a great disappointment Austria had opened his eyes in the morning. Every night when he climbed into his bed, at the top of a three-story bed he prayed to God that he would not wake up to a new day ... but he did always. Although this morning had started even worse than the others. That dream of Hungary had been the best dream he had had in a long time, if he was sent to the gas chambers maybe he could continue to dream it forever.

On the other hand, if he continued to fight maybe they would see each other again. Although they were divorced they didn't hate each other. In fact the reason that they had separated was that they had discovered that they fit better as friends.

Austria had survived much longer than most of the others prisoners who were here. Probably, he thought this was partly because he had always been quite strict with rules and discipline. He had no new routines to work on as some of the others who had been living a less structured life. The only thing that was new to him in that way was the knowledge that the person who did not behave in that way got a bullet in the head, and of course that constant hunger and the fear of getting sick.

Austria couldn't help but sob as he thought about the diseases. A few months ago, he had met a little girl in her mid-teens. She had introduced herself as Anne Frank and she had told him things that Austria hadn't even dared to hope for. Apparently, the Allies had landed in Normandy only a few days after that he had been deported.

Now Austria had stopped hoping again. Anne had been dead for several days, she would never see the end of the war, and Austria wondered sometimes if he would be that happy. Then he also felt a constant concern about what would happen to his people if he died. That concern was most of the time the only thing that made him continue.

Although that rules and discipline had always been a part of him, this was also the first time that he had got trouble following them. Especially one rule was about to kill him, music were banned. Twice he had been beaten very rough after a guard had caught him humming. It was probably the worst. He missed his music so much that it hurt.

In the beginning, he had several times thought of Italy. On the way he had treated him when he was little and lived with him. He wished that he would get to meet him one last time, and apologize to him for those times. Although he could actually without feeling quilty for telling lies say that he had not been as hard on Italy that the guards here were to their prisoners. He had tried to think strategically, if he would try to smuggle out a letter to his friends outside the camp, what would be most important that he got to? But as time went on the thoughts of wanting to apologize to Italy had exchanged for that eternal desire to avoid having to wake up to a new day, a new day that always came.

What had actually happened, he realized after a few months. Was that the truth had caught up with him. Italy was part of the Axis Powers, who was one of those things that were responsible for him ending up in this place - and this hurt. And it didn't help to know that also Hungary was a member of the Axis. The possibility that Germany would help him, Austria hadn't even thought about, and then it was Prussia. What Prussia knew or was responsible for could Austria not even guess, or he could but he didn't, it was enough to be in the middle of something that he knew would go down in history as something terrible and to know that he might not come out of it alive, and if it would be that horrible, Austria knew that he would be the biggest joke in the World history. Not even the Black Death had managed to kill him, he could almost hear Prussia joke about it ... if they would even know why and where he had disappeared, if he ended up in the ovens Austria didn't even know if there would be anything left to find.


	6. Berlin 1945-03-28

**Berlin**

**1945-03-28**

Hungary had asked Italy for some toothpicks, pieces of paper and colored pencils. With these, she had made little flags and buildings that she stuck into the map to make it more orderly. Germany had given her a list of all the concentration camps and they were also represented in her map.

Now Hungary had been sitting there looking at the map for hours, while she alternated between hope and despair.

According to the information she had received from Germany the concentration camps had different purposes. Some of them were labor camps, others were both labor and death camps, and some ... like Treblinka, for example, was just a death camp, a Point of no return. Treblinka was now expended, but this wouldn't be a great comfort if it turned out that it was where Austria had been taken.

On the other side of the table sat Italy with Germany's cat on his lap, and he actually looked at the map. Hungary had almost forgotten that he actually was able to read maps, Italy had actually been really good in military tactics once, Hungary didn't understand how it could happen that he suddenly stopped taking it, even though he obviously had the talent left somewhere inside his head.

On the other hand, America was seen as a military genius even though he couldn't for his life learn how to read a map. Hungary honestly didn't knew which of the two she was most surprised of.

"Italy?"

"Hm?" Italy mumbled in reply as he raised his head from the cat to look at Hungary instead.

"Do you think there's any hope that we will be able to find Austria in time?" Italy was silent a long time. Treblinka worried him as well but he didn't dare to say that to Hungary, at least not right now.

"I will not stop searching until all hope is gone" Italy answered Italy then, and he was actually surprised by himself why he had said just this, it really wasn't like him. But he had lived with Austria almost all his life and there was a strong friendship between them. "If he is still alive, I think a lot depends on what the allies are going to do" he continued after that.

"The chances would be greater for him after the D-Day clearly" Hungary thought loudly. "It's more powerful forces in Europe that we have to take into account now"

After a few more minutes of silence Italy got an idea, got up and put the cat down. "I'll try to get a Word to France" Hungary looked at Italy in surprise, as if she thought it was the dumbest idea in the world history. Italy saw this and declared that "Austria never wanted to become one of the Axis powers, he was forced to it by Germany, if we tell France this, maybe he can persuade the other allies to be nice to him!" A few seconds later Italy had disappeared.

Hungary sighed and was just about to start studying the map again, now that she was alone. But she would not be alone for longer than ten minutes. Then the door opened by a person who definitely had not expected to see Hungary in there.

"Hungary, what are you doing here?" Hungary winced, she hadn't heard the door open and honestly she didn't feel like talking to this person right now.

"What are you doing here Prussia?" she simply asked, without taking her eyes from the maps.

"I live here," Prussia replied truthfully and annoying, self-assured, as if it were the most obvious explanation of the world. "What do you have here?" He asked and sat down so that he could see what the maps represented. When Hungary gave up.

"Austria has been deported to a concentration camp and I intend to find him!" She declared, before she went to the door and walked out into Germany's garden.

Prussia remained seated, he was completely shocked by what Hungary had told him and now he tried to work out what he would do now, which was difficult. It was not until a certain thought came into his head that Prussia decided what to do. If Prussia couldn't make Austria's life a hell, no one could make Austria's life a hell. Therefore, he had to rescue him.

-o-o-o-o-

"Hungary!" Prussia shouted as he ran up to her in the garden, where she sat on a fountain surrounded by white roses. "Hungary, I will help you!" Hungary looked up in surprise at Prussia and he saw that she had been crying, he didn't care about it anyway. "I have some lists you may need, the name of who were sent to each camp and so on, I thought it might be useful. Also, I have an awesome plan."


	7. Bergen-Belsen 1945-03-28

A little later Prussia sat inside his own library trying to figure out how he could best punish himself. It was so typical him that every time he found Hungary in some kind of trouble, go straight to the point in some idiotic attempt to play the hero, but this time he had really taken the price. How the hell had he got the idea to tell Hungary that he had a plan? There was a greater chance that a man would set him foot on the moon before the year 2000 than they would find Austria alive.

Prussia marched into the bathroom, opened the tap and put his head under it. He must think clearly now, fortunately, Hungary hadn't asked him about that "plan" he had at once, since Germany against all odds had felt a little better and just at that moment decided to go out to them. In other words, he still had time to work out a plan and save his own skin. Those lists he told Hungary about was a good start.

-o-o-o-o-o-

**Bergen-Belsen**

**1945-03-28**

Although Austria every night wished that he would not have to wake up the next morning, there were times when he felt quite the opposite. This morning he ended up in such a situation, and it was not the first time. It was a thing that happened every time someone tried to escape.

All the prisoners were forced to stand outside the barracks and watch the captured fugitives be tortured. But that wasn't the worst. When the two fugitives in front of them lay on the ground and was virtually completely unable to stand up because of the beatings came the next stage in the practice that would discourage others to try the same thing. This time it was the twentieth prisoner who would accompany the battered fugitives on "a little trip" as the guards called it, but everyone knew very well what the destination was ... the gas chambers in Poland.

Everything Austria heard around him were crying and despair, he himself was trembling too, but he tried not to cry, but the closer the guard who counted up who was going to die, the harder it became.

Eventually the guard stopped in front of a young woman who was standing next to Austria, and Austria had seen that she too was Austrian, she couldn't be more than 18 years. Austria didn't want to see this, but he couldn't look away, or even close your eyes.

"20" the guard said, poking at the young austrian girl, who immediately began to cry even more, which got most guards to laugh.

Austria didn't laugh, of course not, but he wasn't quiet either. For some reason ... he started coughing blood. He pressed both his hands over his mouth to try to stop it, but it was impossible. He didn't even notice that the guard who just sentenced a kid to her death, stopped in front of him for a long time, that is, he didn't notice anything until the guard grabbed him and dragged him to the fugitives so that all the other prisoners could see him.

What would happen now Austria had no idea. He still coughed blood when guard kicked him to the ground. Therefore, he didn't hear what they said. Suddenly someone pulled him up to his feet, someone pried his mouth open and poured something they called medicin in it.

Austria eyes flew open, he couldn't cough anymore, couldn't feel anything but pain. It was like if his whole mouth was on fire, and a few seconds later, it was as if his whole lungs were burning, too. By that time, Austria was fully convinced that what he had been forced to drink was some kind of poison, and that he would soon die of it.

That's when the pain started to slow down so that he could hear what the guards were saying again.

"As you can see, we have medicine, so there is no point in you trying to play sick" Then Austria gave up again, they did not kill him this time either, he would only serve as a deterrent, just like those who tried to escape.


	8. Oświęcim 1945-01-27

**Oświęcim**

**1945-01-27**

Russia stopped behind a hill to give his men the opportunity to get ready. Soon they would storm the Auschwitz and liberate all the prisoners who were there. Presumably that Himmler would come up with something weird to stop him but Himmler was not as strong as he had been before. In addition, Russia was a nation and no man could stand alone against a nation. And Germany was apparently sick so he wouldn't be able to help.

Russia suddenly jerked, there was a strange feeling he had in his stomach, a feeling that all nations felt when there was another nation around. And according to the intensity in this sense that Russia had, that other nation was not particularly happy.

Then the feeling suddenly told him that the angry nation was standing right next to him. Russia heard the sound of a rifle that right next to him. He turned around to see who it was that cocked the gun, and the person he saw was not exactly who he had expected.

"You did not think you'd get to have all the fun for yourself or what?" Russia couldn't believe his eyes.

"Belarus?"

"Da!"

"But, Bela ..." Russia thought about it. "Is this wise, I mean ... not that I doubt your skills in war, but ... you got pretty badly injuried when Germany launched the Operation Barbarossa on you! Right?" Russia's gaze landed on a sling that Belarus still had her arm hanging in. Belarus just put her healthy hand against Russia's cheek and gave him an almost hypocritical smile before she answered.

"That's right big brother ... and now I will make him pay for it" Russia said nothing more, he knew better than to debate with Belarus when she was like this, it could only end in two ways. Either Belarus won or the debate would never end.

**Warsaw**

**1945-01-27**

Prussia left Auschwitz behind him just in time to hear the mayhem begin. He stopped the car and stepped out to see what happened. When he realized what was happening, he quickly jumped back into the car again. Austria hadn't been in Auschwitz, so he must continue to look for him. He could at least not stay here in his Nazi uniform and wait for Russia to find him. He was just too Awsome to end up in the hands of Russia.

Then Prussia drove all the way to Warsaw, he borrowed a phone. He thought in all cases report to Hungary so that she got the last news. But it wasn't Hungary that answered. It was Germany

"Hello?"

"Is Hungary there?" It took a while before Germany replied, but he did eventually.

"She has locked herself in her room and refuses to talk to anyone"

"So ... in other Words you've got bad news about Austria"

"Not necessarily, but maybe ... Hungary and Italy went through the lists of prisoners of Treblinka, through the years, there have been eight Roderich Edelstein over there ..." Prussia stopped listening. Treblinka, he hadn't even thought of because it was closed down, but now that he had been reminded of it, he almost felt bad. Auschwitz was like a birthday party compared to Treblinka, those who were sent there ended up in the gas chambers as soon as there was room for them.

Later when Prussia went back to his car. A question spun around in his head - Where Roderich Edelstein a common or uncommon name?


	9. Bergen-Belsen 1945-04-15

**Bergen-Belsen**

**1945-04-15**

Once again, Austria's prayers hadn't been heard. He had woken up to a new day in hell. He was bedridden now, not even the disease had allowed him to die. His fellow prisoners had taken care of him after what happened when the guards discovered that he was ill and in some way they had managed to keep him alive, to the great annoyance of the guards - or luck, they came into the barracks at regular intervals harass him and for all that Austria could see, they really enjoyed it.

But this morning it was almost worse than usual, the trumpet hadn't sounded when it all began so everyone was still alseep. When Austria awoke the barrack were full of soldiers who brutally woke them all up. The last thing Austria had time to think before he himself was shaken to life was that what ever this meant, it couldn't be good. Presumably everyone would be taken to the crematories now.

Austria began to cough violently when he someone woke him up, when the cough finally calmed down, he lay in bed and gasped for air. During all this time, the one who had shook him was standing next to Austria's bed and almost stared at him, like someone who didn't believe his eyes. Austria had seen this, he had even a feeling that he had recognized the man. Some of the guards, he had actually even learned by name as he had seen them so often. But this man also seemed to knew him.

The strange thing was that Austria couldn't find a single memory that included this face that was terrifying. In other words, he recognized this man, but he didn't remember being afraid of him.

When Austria discovered that the person who stared at him seemed to wait while he coughed, he forced himself to continue to avoid knowing what would happen next, because he didn't want to know. But what happened when he couldn't cough anymore he wouldn't even have been able to guess if he would have had a million chances. The man took a few steps closer and placed his hand on the Austria's trembeling shoulder.

"Austria?" Austria gasped, making the coughing start again, "Is that you?" The man asked when Austria's coughs had calmed down a Little again. Austria now looked more carefully at the other, who apparently not only had recognized him but also seemed to know that he was a nation, but Austria still couldn't recognize him.

"Excuse me," Austria said when the cough had stoped so much that he could speak again, "Who are you?" He asked. The reactions that followed by the question was a deep sigh and a moment of silence while the man next to Austria's bed were looking down at the floor. It seemed almost as if he were sorry for something. But then he met Austria's tired eyes and answered the question. And this answer was an answer that Austria would always remember as one of the best and happiest moments in his life, and given that he was a nation that had lived for almost a thousand years said a lot about what that meant to him.

"I am Canada! Britain and I have stormed the camp and we're going free everyone who are here." Then Canada climbed up by one foot in each of the two lower beds. From there, he could easily lift out Austria from the top bed. This was no problem at all, especiallt considering that Austria weighed close to nothing right now.

Outside there was a total chaos. Britain had almost filled a bus with detainees who barely seemed to survive the day, most of them were both skinny and sick. But now the camp was nearly empty. Britain carried a woman who could barely walk by herself on the bus and went out again to see if there were any more people he could help.

Then he saw something that even made him scream. Canada came half running towards him. And in his arms, he was carrying a man who was now unconscious and Britain didn't know if he dared to hope that it was not who he thought it was.

"Canada!" Britain called for him when he got close enough for them to talk to each other. "Please say that is not Austria"


	10. Budapest 1945-05-01

**Budapest**

**1945-05-01**

Austria was really tired when he woke up the next time. And besides that, he felt very hot. Yet he opened his eyes. It should almost be time to get up anyway.

The idea that it was almost time to get up turned out to be completely wrong, when Austria looked out through the window, he could see the sun set out there. Austria just noted this and gratefully placed his tired head down again, if the sun was about to set this meant that he could get back to sleep again. But just as he was about to close his eyes he realized how different everything was.

First, he had just seen the sun go down, through a window, there was no such window in the barracks. Second, he lay in a large and comfortable bed, and instead of the moth-eaten blanket he slept under in captivity, he had a big warm blanket and over this a homespun blanket, as if that was not amazing enough, he had the whole four pillows, in Bergen-Belsen, he hadn't had a single one.

Austria tried to sit up in bed, but for some reason it couldn't, he was just too weak, which puzzled him. Instead of trying to get up a second time Austria searched his body with his fingers and he found at least one reason why he couldn't get up. He could basically feel all his ribs when he ran his hand over them.

"Hey ... Anyone ..." he shouted. Now he definitely wanted someone to talk to, someone who could answer a few questions.

Someone opened the door and it turned out to be a young nurse in her late teens, a human and mortal girl that Austria had never seen before, yet he couldn't help but ask a question that probably sounded very strange in her ears but that was very important for Austria.

"Where am I?" To Austria's surprise, the girl gasped when she realized that her patient was awake, it was almost as if she was afraid of him.

"You're in Budapest, but ... can I ask you a question? What are you? I mean, no mortal can survive your injuries, it is quite impossible" Austria closed his eyes, trying to think of a good answer it, that is, an answer that would not give rise to more questions. In other words, the truth was not to think about.

"I don't know" was the best Austria could come up with for an answer. To tell the truth, he hadn't even thought about that he chouldn't have survived, but knew now that this had to be the reason that he had always awakened to a new day in that hell. He couldn't die as long as there was an Austrian who had not given up on him. "That is, I do not know how I can still be alive" This much Austria could actually say without lying, he really didn't understand that there were still people who hadn't given up on him. Now Austria looked up at the Hungarian nurse again. "Did you say that I am in Budapest?"

"Yes," she replied as she began to examine him to find some improvements. And Austria felt better anyway, even though he couldn't get up from his bed. Only to know the fact that he was in Hungary and not in that concentration camp had helped him very much. It was just one more thing he needed to know to make the relief complete.

"Hey, do you know an Elizabeta Hedervary?" The nurse looked up in Austria's face for the first time since she arrived.

"She has been sitting next to your bed day and night for several weeks. This morning we finally managed to persuade her to go and have some rest for a while. Probably she's still asleep. A Feliciano Vargas has been visiting you too. He had to leave but he left you that gift" The nurse pointed at a little flute on the bedside table that Italy had left for him according to the girl.

When Austria received these news, he got silent for a while so he would not reveal what he really felt about it, because he didn't even knew everything he felt himself this time. All he knew was that it meant a lot to him that anyone at all had thought about him during these months. He hadn't even dared hope for something like that.

"Can you see if she's awake, anyway?" he finally asked. And the nurse nodded, glad to have a reason to leave the room. After that, it wasn't long until Elizabeta came running into the room.

For months, neither Austria or Hungary had thought that they would see each other again, and given that they were countries that used to live for hundreds and often thousands of years that wasn't a very common feeling. Now none of them could think of anything to say. Hungary stood at the door until Austria was surprised by a coughing fit, then she went over to the bed to hugged him until it stopped.

When the worst cough was over, Hungary opened a bottle that she had brought with her. She poured a bit of the water in a mug and then held it in front of Austria's mouth.

"What is it?" he asked as he saw it, and Hungary looked at him in surprise when she noticed how scared he seemed, she didn't know about that terrifying "medicine" that the Nazis' had forced him to drink before Canada and Britain had saved him.

"Just plain, fresh, clean water," Hungary said in a comforting voice and tried to help Austria to drink it, as soon as she managed to convince him that there was no danger. Which wasn't very easy, much of the water ended up outside Austria's mouth and ran down over his face, Hungary had anticipated that this could happen so she had a towel ready to wipe him. Meanwhile Hungary felt that she needed to say something more.

"The war will soon be over I think. Germany rang this morning and told me that his boss has committed suicide"

For Austria it didn't matter if Hungary spilled water on him, it was so long since he had been alloweed to drink clean water, moreover, he was so tired that he didn't care. But the news that the man who was responsible for all this was dead was actually a lot comforting.

"Why am I in your capital?" Austria asked then.

"Why do you think?" Hungary just smiled at him, the truth was that she didn't want him to see what the Nazis' had done to his home until he was strong enough to handle it, but she couldn't tell Austria that, because then he would ask more questions than she could answer without make him even more misserable. After that there was only one thing Austria wished.

"Hungary can I ask you something?" he asked and held out his hand so Hungary could hold it, which she did.

"What?" Although he knew that Hungary was waiting to hear what he wanted to say, he couldn't say it all at once. The truth was that he had missed his music for so long that it hurt in his soul, but he also knew that he wouldn't be able to play any instrument right now.

"I certainly woke up a little late, it's almost night again and I know the best thing for me would be if I could have some more sleep ..." Hungary nodded to show Austria that she was listening, after a slight pause, Austria continued, "I was wondering if you'd like to sing something for me until I fall asleep? "

Hungary was thinking. Of course she wanted to do it, she just needed to figure out what she would sing, the war wasn't over yet and the one who had asked was lucky to have survived.

Eventually, she started singing a Hungarian lullaby from the medieval times while stroking her friend and former husband over his hand.

A few seconds later she suddenly stopped, Austria's face was full of tears.

"How are you?" asked Hungary.

"I'm fine," Austria sobbed as an answer "Can you sing that one for me again?"

Hungary smiled and tucked Austria in with all his blankets, wiped all his tears away with her own handkerchief ... and then she started singing the medieval ballad again.


End file.
